White House renews effort to pass energy, climate legislation

Published: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 5:26 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 5:26 p.m.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama met today with Cabinet members and key senators from both parties in a bid to move forward on a long-stalled climate and energy bill.

More than a dozen senators met with Obama, four Cabinet members and White House energy adviser Carol Browner. Obama called the closed-door meeting to urge the lawmakers — who including several swing votes from both parties — to pass global warming and energy legislation this year.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama wanted to get an update from lawmakers on the energy bill, which he said should include a cap on emissions of pollution blamed for global warming.

"The president's strong belief is that in order to transition ourselves away from our dependence on foreign oil and into a clean-energy economy, that we need a strong incentive to do that," Gibbs said.

A bill sponsored by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., aims to cut emissions of pollution-causing greenhouse gases by 17 percent by 2020. The bill would abandon a broad "cap-and-trade" approach to reducing carbon pollution. Instead it would apply different carbon controls to different sectors of the economy.

The bill's prospects in the Senate are uncertain, but Gibbs said Obama remains optimistic.

"I think putting together a coalition of somebody like Senator Kerry and Senator Graham, who represent obviously different political philosophies, demonstrates that, yes, it is certainly possible to do that," Gibbs said.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, one of the lawmakers invited to the White House, said the energy bill should create jobs.

"Climate change is about pricing carbon, and creating a whole new wind, solar panel, fuel cell industry in this country," Brown said.

At the same time, Brown said he wants to ensure that the legislation is written in a way to help manufacturers in his state, including companies that make aluminum, cement, glass, steel, paper and chemicals.

Besides Brown, others invited to the meeting include Kerry, Graham and Lieberman, as well as Democratic Sens. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Barbara Boxer of California, Maria Cantwell of Washington state and Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia. Republicans include Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

<p>WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama met today with Cabinet members and key senators from both parties in a bid to move forward on a long-stalled climate and energy bill.</p><p>More than a dozen senators met with Obama, four Cabinet members and White House energy adviser Carol Browner. Obama called the closed-door meeting to urge the lawmakers — who including several swing votes from both parties — to pass global warming and energy legislation this year.</p><p>White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama wanted to get an update from lawmakers on the energy bill, which he said should include a cap on emissions of pollution blamed for global warming.</p><p>"The president's strong belief is that in order to transition ourselves away from our dependence on foreign oil and into a clean-energy economy, that we need a strong incentive to do that," Gibbs said.</p><p>A bill sponsored by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., aims to cut emissions of pollution-causing greenhouse gases by 17 percent by 2020. The bill would abandon a broad "cap-and-trade" approach to reducing carbon pollution. Instead it would apply different carbon controls to different sectors of the economy.</p><p>The bill's prospects in the Senate are uncertain, but Gibbs said Obama remains optimistic.</p><p>"I think putting together a coalition of somebody like Senator Kerry and Senator Graham, who represent obviously different political philosophies, demonstrates that, yes, it is certainly possible to do that," Gibbs said.</p><p>Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, one of the lawmakers invited to the White House, said the energy bill should create jobs.</p><p>"Climate change is about pricing carbon, and creating a whole new wind, solar panel, fuel cell industry in this country," Brown said.</p><p>At the same time, Brown said he wants to ensure that the legislation is written in a way to help manufacturers in his state, including companies that make aluminum, cement, glass, steel, paper and chemicals.</p><p>Besides Brown, others invited to the meeting include Kerry, Graham and Lieberman, as well as Democratic Sens. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Barbara Boxer of California, Maria Cantwell of Washington state and Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia. Republicans include Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.</p><p>___</p><p>Associated Press writer Frederic J. Frommer contributed to this report.</p>